Valvrave the Liberator
Short Synopsis: Our lead character may pilot a super giant robot.
This really had Ichiro Okouchi written all over it. The creator of Code Geass. This episode had lots and lots of shock value. That is not necessarily bad, but it does have me worried that this show somehow tries to convince us that the safest place to store an all-powerful robot, capable of annihilating everything on its path and that takes the soul of its pilots, was a freaking SCHOOL. I mean, the only thing that the plot had going for it so far is that it’s bigger on the shock factor. Otherwise it’s just another “been there, done that”-story about this random kid who just “happens” to find a big mecha. It’s a good thing that the animation is actually very good, the music is actually pretty amazing and the rest of the characters are… interesting enough. But really: if you want to create a giant trainwreck: think BIG. Think original. Don’t give me that school crap.
ED: Cathchy, but visually it’s nothing special.
Potential: 65%
Some Quick First Impressions: Valvrave the Liberator
That is one heck of a school, though the defenses did little good in the end. It sure has the potential to be a Guilty Crown succesor in terms of going off the rails. Sunrise sure pulled a new one at the end though, I’m sure most mech fans had a checklist to go through during this show and that last part sure was not on it.
Guilty Crown had a more serious atmosphere to begin with than this, all things considered, so I would call that a true trainwreck.
This is less pretentious and more concerned with being entertaining. Hell, even Code Geass didn’t really pull off anything quite like this at first, so the comparison is misleading.
hell yeah! Code Geass in SPACE! this is going to be fucking awesome!
Ooh yeah its going to be bad, but its going to be SO BAD that its good! haha!
Im determinately watching this!
The show isn’t trying to convince you of anything. The mecha was stored in an underground facility connected to the school somehow, but that’s not exactly much of a problem considering how over-the-top everything was by the end of the first episode. It’s not trying to be realistic.
As for originality…well, combining these specific elements is certainly original. I wouldn’t call it good or bad necessarily, just crazy.
See, you seem to be misusing the term “trainwreck” there. The show is crazy and absolutely knows it. The story pulled off a strange twist, no doubt, but so have others that I believe you’ve surprisingly enjoyed more without throwing that word around.
I’m looking forward to this, actually. I’m crossing my fingers for it to be what Dragonar should’ve been in the 80s.
Mecha vampires, should at least be fun if one doesn’t take it seriously.
I feel kinda disappointed with this first episode. It felt almost exactly the same as Gundam Seed, especially the plot elements introduced in its first episode. The mecha underneath the school, the infiltrating kids, the ‘evil’ faction forcing the main character to fight and defend his peaceful, idyllic home and friends, his ‘convenient’ sync with the mecha…heck, there was even a pink-red, sad looking girl in the OP on the enemy side like Lacus…The similarities were countless, and the character personalities match somewhat too. It just leaves a bad taste of recycling plot elements. But I suppose I’ll stay optimistic that this doesn’t go the horrible, overdramatic mess that was Gundam Seed; but Sunrise is gonna have a hard time winning me over.
I believe that I’ve mostly forgotten about Gundam Seed, maybe intentionally, but I can see those parallels. Then again, many mechas share a lot of similarities in terms of the introductions. Gotta get random teenager X into a giant killbot, somehow. Urgh, I was kind of hype to follow a new mecha series, but the enthusiasm has all but drained away now.
This is pretty superficial, but anybody else bothered (bored, disgusted?) by all the emphasis on the phones and tablets, touchscreen interfaces, social media?
I’ve just got to say, if a main character’s trying to confess to somebody in a first episode… red flag alert! Somebody’s in some big trouble. (okay, not always death)
I suppose all mecha series tend to follow the same formula, but I swear if we did a timed comparison to the first episode of Gundam Seed, we wouldn’t be very far off. Hopefuly Urobutcher doesn’t disappoint with his mecha series.
As long as the love interest doesn’t come back alive/is found by the bad side and goes beserk…
TABLETS ARE THE ONLY WAY THE SHOW CAN MAKE IT SEEM FUTURISTIC BUT RELATABLE. LIKE MAYBE 6 HOURS IN THE FUTURE. HAIL TABLETS.
Uh, Gen Urobuchi isn’t involved in this series. it’s written by Ichiro Okouchi, the guy who wrote Code Geass.
Yes, though Gargantia has other Code Geass-related personnel involved starting with the director having worked on that show before as an assistant. Not that it bothers me in the least.
How about a dyson sphere? That’s fucking futuristic if you ask me. The mention of a dyson sphere in the beginning made me both gasp and jizz a little in excitement.
Other than that, yeah seems a little standard, but it can go both ways from here.
It’s full of parallels to Gundam in general, starting with 0079, not just SEED,
Well, the clichetometer went all up to 11 with this chapter, I almost lost count of how many stereotypes it has, but damn, it was entertain to watch. This enters my weekly list without doubt, it’s Guilty Gundam Geass, Sunrise magnum opus.
thats the truth! Its going to be hilariously bad but awesome.
If this was Gundam, the correct answer to the “are you ready to lose your humanity?” should have been no. When he pressed the yes I was hoping the robot would kick him out saying “you monster, outta here!. You aren’t worthy of being my pilot!” (Though they had to keep using cliches one after the other in the fight.)
The end of the episode remembered me strongly of Code Geass.
Eh, the end of that particular episode one was less from random left field than this. I’d even call it predictable in comparison considering the context and pacing was different enough.
Actually…
I think the song is the Op rather than the ending…
“Preserved Roses” by Nana Mizuki x T.M.Revolution
That song & the ending, “Boku Janai (It’s Not Me)” by angela, are about the only reasons i’m watching the show… XD